The present invention relates to an improved trailer hitch. In the prior art, trailer hitches in which a ball is located on the towing vehicle and a socket located on the towed vehicle is coupled with the ball are notoriously well known in the prior art. In such devices, the socket, may rotate with respect to the ball as the towing vehicle goes around corners and the angular relationship between the ball and socket may also vary as the towing vehicle transitions from a flat surface to an incline or decline. Under these scenarios, the socket is designed to maintain its coupled relationship with the ball to prevent the towed vehicle from releasing from the towing vehicle.
In the prior art, typically, where a ball and socket coupling is employed, electrical connections must be provided between the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle. Examples of such electrical connections facilitate providing the towed vehicle with turn signals, brake lights, back up lights, and other lights that illuminate when the headlights of the towing vehicle are activated. Electrical connections allow these functions of the towed vehicle such as a trailer to be controlled from the towing vehicle. An example of such connections is shown identified by reference numerals 25 and 26 in FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 7,581,746 to Abate et al.
Abate et al. also teach electrical connectors between the towed and towing vehicle including pins engaging concentric rings as illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B. These connectors are not incorporated into the ball and socket but are separately provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,907 to Van Raden discloses a ball and socket mechanical and electrical trailer hitch in which electrical connections are incorporated into the ball and the socket. This configuration is unreliable because in transitions between horizontal roadways and hills and valleys, the electrical connections can become misaligned and lose electrical contact, thereby rendering inoperative turn signals, brake lights, backing lights, and rear lights illuminated when headlights are activated.
The same is true of the configuration set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,072 to Deloach, Jr. In that device, rotations and pivoting of the socket with respect to the ball can result in disconnects between the circuits. It is not feasible for the socket to be precluded from pivoting with respect to the ball and such pivoting can easily break the electrical contacts.
The present invention differs from the teachings of the prior art known to Applicant by providing the electrical contacts on a shoulder peripheral of the socket and a collar peripheral of the ball in such a manner that the contacts between the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle are maintained regardless of the rotative orientation about horizontal or vertical axes.